Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-08-12
FISHERMEN'S QUARRELS,
Affairs Between Canadian and Ameri-
can FiSher-folk Growing Worse
Every Day.
The ''Canuck" Authorities Firm-The
Latest Seizures of Daring
Yankee POacherS.


Yankee P0achers.
Admiral Luce's Defense of His Circu-
lar-British and American War
ships on Hand.
New YORK, August S.-A Halifax spe-
cial says: Considerable excitement pre-
vailed here Saturday over the latest seiz-
ure at Souris, which is now reported to
be not only for an effense against the
customs laws, but also for a violation of
the treaty of 1918, and TO be such serious
case as to require the immediate presencs ?
of Consul General Phelan. Great interest
also attaches to a conferences which took
place that day between the Minister of
Fisheries, Rear Admiral Luce. Consul
General Phelan and Captain Scott. The
conference occurred on board the United
States flagship Richmond and lasted over
an hour. 1t is understood that circum-
stances connected with recent seizures,
the Administration OF Canadian customs
regulations, the rights of American fisher
men in Canadian waters, the statement
of questions by Admiral Luce and Cap
tain SCOTS replies thereto, and other
matters were freely and frankly discussed,
though purely informally. The result is
that this interchange of views has caused
such a personal understanding to be ar
rived at as will materially aid in solving
a number of knotty points hitherto a
of a,,I
to tend to simplify affairs in the fu-
ture.
Regarding the cases of the Gloucester
schooners.
ARGONAUT AND FRENCH,
Minister Foster declared it to be the in
tention of the Canadian authorities to
capture those vessels wherever they could
find them, either inside Canadian limits
or on the high seas outside the terrltori-
al waters of the United States. He argued
that the vessels, upon the admission of
their crews, had clearly been guilty of
violating the treaty, and therefore were
liable to forfeiture, and forfeited vessel
could be taken anywhere outside the
territorial waters of another power. Both
Admiral Luce and Consul General Phelan
strongly dissented from this view, and
emphatically expressed their opinions
that the United States would never pe7-
nit those vessels to be taken outside the
territorial waters of Canada.
ADMIRAL LUCE IN HIS OWN DEFENSE.
Admiral Luce authorizes the following
statement in regard to the circular which
he issued giving instructions to American
fishermen, and which Secretary Whitney
telegraphed him to withdraw:
My position is easily defined. 1t is un-
derstood by common report that the
United States government and that of
Great Britain are now negotiating for a
settlement of the fisheries questions.
Pending these negotiations it is part of
the United States vessels of war in Cana
dian waters to avoid doing anything that
might even harass our government or add
to the complication of the various ques-
tions at issue. TIE ships of the North
Atlantic squadron were not sent to the
Gulf of st. Lawrence to prevent by force
seizure of American fishermen by Do
nlnion cruisers for alleged violation of
laws for the protection of the in shore
fisheries, but rather to render such moral
support as the mere presence of our ships
might afford. In the event of seizure
of an American fishing vessel for an al
legged violation of the laws of the Domin~
ion the case must he fought out in the
courts, not by the Dominion cruise er and
vessel of war of the United States. This
is not abating one iot or one title of the
American side of the question; for if
the Dominion courts find in opposition
to the claim of the United States, then
the case can be taken up by our govern
ment and submitted, if necessary, to ar
bitration. The appeal to arms, as some
OF our newspapers suggest, is supposed
to be the measure of last resort. Had
the entire United States navy been pres
ent on September l, 1886, it could not
have legally prevented the seizures by a
very small Dominion cruiser of the High
land Light for fishing within the three
mile limit. However tenaciously we may
uphold the justice side of the question,
it has not saved the cases of the David
j Adams and Ellen Doughty from drag
ging through the courts now for over a
year. And whatever may be the decision
in those cases the fact remains that the
voyage in each case was broken up. and
the parties most directly concerned sub
jected to much inconvenience Hence,
to enable our fishermen to keep out of
the courts the first and most obvious
step was to ascertain the nature of the
instructions issued to the Dominion
cruisers, and, having obtained that in
formation, the next step was to give our
fishermen the benefits of it without en-
dorsement by me or of any American of
fetal of the views embraced ir those in
structions. Coupled with this informa
tion was the warning that in the event of
seizure the case would have to 60 to the
courts, as our vessels of-war were not en-
powered to interpose force or to prevent
the law from taking its course. The only
exception to this fact that | am aware of
is in doubtful cases, or in cases where the
rights of our fishermen seem to have
been clearly violated by the Dominion
cruisers. In that event the question is
referred by the nearest United States
consul to our consul general at Halifax
who make up the case and submit it to
the state department at Washington.
WAR SHIPS TO TAKE HAND.
The British warships now in the North
American waters are to lake a hand in
settling the fisheries trouble. This an
nouncement was made late Saturday
night and has caused genuine surprise
on all sides. 1t is the first time that the
British authorities have interfered in
the fisheries fight, and tbs unexpected
change of policy occasions no little
anxiety among Americans here. They
don't know what to make of 1t. The
men-of- war VIII not act as patrols only to
keep American fishermen outside the for
hidden waters, but will make seizures
when they cross the line. There are three
war-ships available for the service at this
moment, Admiral Lyons flagship the
BeIIerophon, the Can ada and the Pylades.
These vessels are now in Halifax harbor.
The presentation is TO send the ships
early next week to the Gulf of st. Law
renee to reinforce the five Canadian
cruisers already there. 1t is not likely
that more than three war ships will be
put at the work of seizing Yankees, but
if it should be considered advisable, as
many more can be ordered into these
waters from New Foundland and Bermuda
at few days notice.
A New jersey Wedding
Mr.. John Duryea Crane, aged 10 years
and Miss Rachel Speer, residing at Pins
Brook, n. j., were married Thursday after